Mouse CCL8, a CCR8 agonist, promotes atopic dermatitis by recruiting IL-5+ TH2 cells

SA Islam, DS Chang, RA Colvin, MH Byrne… - Nature …, 2011 - nature.com
SA Islam, DS Chang, RA Colvin, MH Byrne, ML McCully, B Moser, SA Lira, IF Charo…
Nature immunology, 2011nature.com
Mouse CCL8 is a CC chemokine of the monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP) family
whose biological activity and receptor usage have remained elusive. Here we show that
CCL8 is highly expressed in the skin, where it serves as an agonist for the chemokine
receptor CCR8 but not for CCR2. This distinguishes CCL8 from all other MCP chemokines.
CCL8 responsiveness defined a population of highly differentiated, CCR8-expressing
inflammatory T helper type 2 (TH2) cells enriched for interleukin (IL)-5. Ccr8-and Ccl8 …
Abstract
Mouse CCL8 is a CC chemokine of the monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP) family whose biological activity and receptor usage have remained elusive. Here we show that CCL8 is highly expressed in the skin, where it serves as an agonist for the chemokine receptor CCR8 but not for CCR2. This distinguishes CCL8 from all other MCP chemokines. CCL8 responsiveness defined a population of highly differentiated, CCR8-expressing inflammatory T helper type 2 (TH2) cells enriched for interleukin (IL)-5. Ccr8- and Ccl8-deficient mice had markedly less eosinophilic inflammation than wild-type or Ccr4-deficient mice in a model of chronic atopic dermatitis. Adoptive transfer studies established CCR8 as a key regulator of TH2 cell recruitment into allergen-inflamed skin. In humans, CCR8 expression also defined an IL-5–enriched TH2 cell subset. The CCL8-CCR8 chemokine axis is therefore a crucial regulator of TH2 cell homing that drives IL-5–mediated chronic allergic inflammation.
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